Metals, Minerals, Ores : Properties, Uses Part-1

Total Questions: 50

41. Mica is a: [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]

(a) Good conductor of heat and bad conductor of electricity
(b) Bad conductor of both heat and electricity
(c) Good conductor of heat and electricity both
(d) Bad conductor of heat and good conductor of electricity

Correct Answer: (a) Good conductor of heat and bad conductor of electricity

Solution:Mica has a very high dielectric strength, meaning it can withstand high voltages without breaking down and conducting electricity. This makes it an excellent electrical insulator. Mica is a bad conductor of electricity but a good conductor of heat. It is used as a raw material in the electrical industry.

Good conductors of electricity are: Aluminium, Brass, Copper, Iron, Steel.
Bad conductors of electricity are: Acrylic, China clay, Glass, Mica, Paper, Plastic, and Wood.

42. In which of the following industries is mica used as a raw material: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]

(a) Iron and steel
(b) Toys
(c) Glass and pottery
(d) Electrical

Correct Answer: (d) Electrical

Solution:Mica is :

Excellent electrical insulator: It's indispensable in electronic components, capacitors, circuit boards, and as insulation in wires and cables.

High heat resistance: It can withstand high temperatures without degrading, making it suitable for high-temperature applications.

Mica is a bad conductor of electricity but a good conductor of heat.

Flexibility and Transparency: Thin sheets of mica are flexible and transparent, useful in some niche applications.

So, It is used as a raw material in the electrical industry.

43. Which among the following liquids is the best conductor of heat? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2014]

(a) Mercury
(b) Water
(c) Ether
(d) Benzene

Correct Answer: (a) Mercury

Solution:

Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol (Hg). Mercury is used in thermometers due to its special properties. It can measure a wide range of temperatures from -40 to 356°C and up to 570°C under pressure in a liquid state. It expands regularly in proportion to the absolute temperature changes. A heavy, silvery d-block element, mercury is the only common metal element which is found in liquid state at standard conditions for temperature and pressure. It is a metal, so it is a conductor of heat. Mercury is the poorest conductor of heat among all metals, but among the given options, it is the best conductor of heat.

44. The poorest conductor of heat among the following is: [66th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2020]

Correct Answer: (c) Lead

Solution:We are comparing the thermal conductivity of several metals.

Copper: Excellent conductor (often used in heat sinks, wires).

Zinc: Good conductor, though not as good as copper.

Mercury: A liquid metal, good conductor of heat.

Lead: Known for being a relatively poor conductor of heat among common metals. Its thermal conductivity is significantly lower than copper, zinc, or even liquid mercury.
Correct Answer: Lead

45. Which of the following is in liquid form at room temperature? [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

(a) Lithium
(b) Sodium
(c) Francium
(d) Cerium

Correct Answer: (c) Francium

Solution:There are two elements Bromine and Mercury that are liquid at the room temperature (298 K or 25°C). There are four more elements which melt just a few degree above room temperature. These are Francium, Caesium, Gallium and Rubidium.

46. There is no reaction when steam passes over— [38th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1992]

(a) Aluminium
(b) Copper
(c) Carbon
(d) Iron

Correct Answer: (b) Copper

Solution:Metals like potassium and sodium react violently with cold water. The reaction of calcium with water is less violent. Magnesium does not react with cold water, but it reacts with hot water. Metals like aluminium, iron, and zinc do not react either with cold or hot water, but they react with steam. Metals such as lead, copper, silver, gold, and platinum do not react with water at all (neither with cold nor hot water nor with steam).

47. Iron is obtained from: [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1999]

(a) Limestone
(b) Pitch-blende
(c) Monazite Sand
(d) Haematite

Correct Answer: (d) Haematite

Solution:Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides, and iron is usually found in the form of magnetite (

– 72.4% Fe) and haematite (

– 69.9% Fe).

48. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below the lists: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]

List-I (Metal)	List-II (Property)
A. Sodium	1. Good conductor of electricity
B. Mercury	2. Liquid at room temperature
C. Silver	3. Poor conductor of heat
D. Lead	4. Can be easily cut with knife

Code	A	B	C	D
(a)	2	2	1	4
(b)	1	4	3	2
(c)	4	2	1	3
(d)	4	3	1	2

Correct Answer: (c)

Solution:The correctly matched lists are as follows:

Sodium - Can be easily cut with knife
Mercury - Liquid at room temperature
Silver - Good conductor of electricity
Lead - Poor conductor of heat

49. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]

List-I	List-II
A. Best conductor of heat and electricity	1. Gold
B. Metal found in highest amount	2. Lead
C. Most flexible metal and able to increase by bang	3. Aluminium
D. Minimum heat conducting	4. Silver

Code	A	B	C	D
(a)	1	3	2	4
(b)	2	3	4	1
(c)	2	4	1	3
(d)	4	3	1	2

Correct Answer: (d)

Solution:The correctly matched lists are as follows:

Best conductor of heat and electricity - Silver
Metal found in highest amount - Aluminium
Most flexible metal and able to increase by bang - Gold
Minimum heat conducting - Lead

50. Which of the following is mainly used for the production of Aluminium? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]

(a) Haematite
(b) Lignite
(c) Bauxite
(d) Magnetite

Correct Answer: (c) Bauxite

Solution:Bauxite is an ore of aluminium, which is found in the form of hydrated aluminium oxides. It is used as a principal raw material in the aluminium industry. It consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite

, boehmite γ -

, and diaspore α-

mixed with the two iron oxides goethite and haematite. The French geologist first discovered bauxite near the village of Les Baux, Southern France.

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